Cue Card Sample

IELTS Cue Card # 169 - Describe a school where you studied

IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe a school where you studied.

You should say:

  • when you went there
  • how many students studied there
  • how long you studied there

and explain what you liked and disliked about it.



Model Answer 1:
I would say that if there is one phase of life, which everybody would want to go back to, it had to be the “school life”. So, I surely would like to thank you for offering me the opportunity to describe a school which I attended in the past.

The school, I want to talk about, is a high school in Deptford, London, which I attended from 2007 to 2012. Being located at the heart of one of the best metropolitan cities in the world, this particular state-funded secondary school attracted students, both boys and girls, from all origins and backgrounds as well as from all walks of life. However, most of the students in the school came from working-class people. It specialized in English literature, Arts, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Economic and Drama. Back then, it was a five-storey building, with a multi-use games area, a big playground in the front and 150 cycle parking spaces. And, of course, it also had a big library and large stadium for Deptford green community leisure. Besides, the school also had wireless technology throughout the entire school buildings, a fitness gym, a sound recording studio and radio station, light and spacious classrooms which are 25% larger than statutory regulations, and a tiered seating conference hall with lecture desks which could act as a performance hall. 

If I remember correctly, around 12 hundred students used to attend this great secondary school when I was studying there. Anyway, what I really liked about my secondary school was that the teachers were really qualified and very helpful. The school management was very friendly also. The infrastructure was amazing, and we had our own badminton, basketball and football teams who played really well. Besides, there were extra classrooms for community tutoring groups that were accessible for all weak students. Finally, I would never forget about the delicious and free bowl of porridge for breakfast which was provided in the mornings, alongside a range of other refreshments. However, I didn’t like the school uniform colour which every student needed to wear.


 

Sample Answer 2:
I went to (…say the name of a school which you've attended..) in my childhood and studied there from (.. from class/grade ...  to class/grade …). I was around 8 years old when I first went to this school, and I had been there till I was 13. This was one of the most popular schools in the city, and I had to pass the acceptance test before I could enrol there.

The school was a 4-story building, and it had approximately 300 students and 40 teachers. I had been a young kid when I studied there, and I have many fond memories related to this school and my classmates.

I liked the way teachers used to behave with us - they were always supportive and kind, and not to mention the interesting and interactive way they taught us. I also loved the playground and our library, both of which in my young minds were very large. We had a big hall room where we used to gather during break time and enjoy gossiping with friends. The large lavish green field in our school was one of our favourite places where we loved to play different sports.

I hardly disliked anything about this school, except, of course, the deafening noise from cars that sometimes came from the nearby road. Since the school was situated near the main road, sound pollution was a dire issue for us. Interestingly, I also hated the fact that the class used to begin at 6:30 am, and because of that, I had to wake up very early in the morning. But, I was just a child then!


 

Part 3 – Two-way discussion:

Q. How are education priorities today different from those in the past?

Q. What is your opinion on the way languages are taught in schools?

Q. How can the type of school you go to affect career success?

Q. What changes do you think will happen in the classroom in the near future?

Q. What important lessons we learn from schools?

Q. How government in your country can improve the current education system? Why do you think the changes are required?

 

Similar Cue Card Topics

Your ability to talk about this Cue Card Topic would also enable you to talk about the following Cue Card Topics:

  1. Describe a school or college where you studied.
  2. Describe a place in your hometown.
  3. Describe a building in your school or college.
  4. Describe one of your favourite places in your hometown.
  5. Describe a place where you spent a long time.
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.71 (7 Votes)

Samana Gurung
It is effective.